Sibal offers free education for student CWG medal winners

New Delhi, Oct 8 : Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday announced that the government will bear the cost of education of all student Commonwealth Games medal winners.

"While the expenditure for college going/university students, including those in professional colleges, would be borne by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) would bear all such expenditure on education of all those currently in schools, irrespective of whether they are in CBSE affiliated schools or not," said Sibal.

"The support would continue as long as the student medal winner wishes to pursue studies and would include tuition fee as well as the maintenance expenditure (hostel fee). Both CBSE and UGC will soon work out exact modalities in this regard," he added.

He said the decision is a token of appreciation and a gesture towards encouraging sports talent among students of all categories.

Sibal further advised the UGC and CBSE to formulate suitable financial incentive schemes to support talented sportspersons among students and to strengthen sports infrastructure in educational institutions in the country.